After a day of dramatic developments, AIADMK on Thursday elected V K Sasikala, close aide of late Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa, as the party General Secretary.

After a day of dramatic developments, AIADMK on Thursday elected V K Sasikala, close aide of late Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa, as the party General Secretary. (PTI image)

After a day of dramatic developments, AIADMK on Thursday elected V K Sasikala, close aide of late Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa, as the party General Secretary. The position held by Jayalalithaa for over three decades. A resolution was adopted during the crucial AIADMK general council meeting held this morning. Though V K Sasikala was not present in the meet, she was chosen unanimously. Apart from this some other crucial resolutions were passed. Resolution to confer former TN CM Jayalalithaa with Magsaysay Award and Nobel prize for World Peace also passed in party general body meet, according to report. According to TV report, Sasikala Natarajan will take charge on January 2. Party members led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam has visited Sasikala in her Poes Garden residence. Panneerselvam has reportedly handed over the resolutions made at the party general meeting to Sasikala. Reports said that Sasikala has accepted the resolution.

The resolution calls on party workers to “remember the guidance of Amma and take a pledge to work loyally under the stewardship of Chinnamma (Sasikala).” Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai, veteran leader Panruti S Ramachandran, State Ministers, party MLAs and MPs are among those attending the meeting.

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One of the resolutions demanding late AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa’s birthday be celebrated as ‘National Farmers Day’ was also adopted.

Party’s leaders, including district secretaries, have assembled in Vanagaram on Thursday morning for the meeting. District secretaries and leaders of various wings of the party had endorsed the leadership of Sasikala. With no opponents or other contestants to the post in sight, Sasikala had no threat to her elevation to the top post, according to The Indian Express.

After the passing away of J Jayalalithaa on December 5, party cadres and top functionaries including Chief Minister O Panneerselvam have been urging Sasikala to assume the party’s top post of General Secretary and lead them. The venue of the meeting, Srivaru Venkatachalapathi Kalyana Mandapan sported life size hoardings of a smiling Jayalalithaa waving to party workers in the departed leader’s favourite green colour. The roads leading to the hall were decked up with party flags, festoons and banners.

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Although the party has officially clarified that Sasikala has been the member of the party for a long time amid some petitions that challenged her authority to get elected to the top party post, senior leaders were not sure if she would be attending Thursday’s meeting.

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Several leaders had also urged Sasikala to assume the mantle of both the party and governance as general secretary and Chief Minister respectively.